Viisage Technology Founder Invited to Testify Before Senate On Technology's Role in Preventing the Entry of Terrorists Into U.S.
LITTLETON, Mass., Nov 14, 2001 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Viisage Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: VISG chart, msgs), the leader in face-recognition technology and identification systems and solutions that improve security and conveniently protect personal privacy, announced today that Joanna Lau, founder of Lau Technologies and Viisage Technology, Inc., will testify today before the Senate Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information regarding technology's role in guarding against the entry of terrorists into the U.S.
Ms. Lau was invited to testify as a result of Viisage Technology's reputation as a leading provider of face-recognition technology. Ms. Lau, whose personal focus for eight years has been the use of technology to ensure National Defense, will speak on how facial recognition technology can be used to thwart the entry into the U.S. of persons who wish to carry out terrorist acts. Specifically, Ms. Lau will discuss how the work the companies have already started with Federal Agencies can be expanded to provide a higher level of security:
- Visa Issuance: Involves use of Viisage's software to protect
against the issuance of multiple visas under assumed names; would
allow all 10 million images in the visa database to be run against
the FBI and Intelligence community's database of wanted
terrorists. (Estimated implementation time:90 days.) As new visas
are issued, every new photo taken for visas would be compared to
the watch-list.
- Port of Entry Screening: After a visa has been issued, passengers
can be screened at the Point of Entry to verify identity.
- Airport Security: Use of cameras to quickly capture images of
passengers and compare them against the terrorist watch-list. If a
match is made, the passenger is further investigated. (Already
deployed at the International Airport in Fresno, CA. Viisage is in
talks with additional airports throughout the U.S.)
Viisage strictly follows a no match-no memory personal privacy philosophy, meaning that no images are kept by the system unless there is a match with a criminal.
About the Technology
From an operational perspective, Viisage Technology's software allows law enforcement officials to compare any face against a digital "mug-shot book" of images in real time to determine if there are possible matches. In the past, this process would have taken individuals hours to manually make this type of comparison. The software is based on original rights acquired from MIT in 1994. Since then, Viisage has spent millions of dollars and over 100-person years to build on the original Eigenface algorithm. Recently, the U.S. Marshals used the Illinois driver license program, built on Viisage's software, to confirm information about one of their 15 Most Wanted Fugitives.
About Viisage Technology
Viisage Technology is the world leader in biometric face-recognition technology and identification systems and solutions that enhance consumer convenience, improve security and protect personal privacy. Originally developed at MIT, Viisage's patented, accurate, non-intrusive and cost-effective face-recognition technology is widely acknowledged for its unmatched performance including speed in real-time applications, scalability for managing large image databases, and systems integration for complete customer solutions.
The technology has been used successfully by Federal, State and local government and the private sector for over five years, including implementations at: the Pinellas County, Florida Sheriff's Office to assist with jail operations and criminal investigations; by over 100 casinos worldwide to identify problematic players; for access control by the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration; at the NFL Super Bowl last year to identify terrorists, fugitives, scalpers and pickpockets at the point of entry; by the State of Illinois drivers license program to scan for duplicate licenses.
Viisage provides a full family of face recognition products. FaceEXPLORER(TM) is a powerful and scalable image retrieval and analysis database product, used to combat identity fraud -- it is implemented in the world's largest face recognition system with more than eight million enrolled images. FaceFINDER(TM), acclaimed for its processing speed, is the industry's most widely implemented surveillance and identification system -- it is installed in more than 100 casinos worldwide and has been deployed to improve security at premier sporting events. FaceNET(TM) provides secure authentication for PC, Internet and e-commerce connections. FacePIN(TM) offers consumers convenient and private verification for point-of-sale transactions such as ATMs. FacePASS(TM) is a practical security solution for keyless entry to secure facilities, such as offices, dormitories and government facilities. FaceTOOLS(TM) is a leadership Software Developers Kit that enables application providers the ability to develop and customize unique customer and market applications.
Additionally, Viisage's systems annually deliver, through 1,500 U.S. systems in 1,200 locations in 15 states, more than 25 million high-quality and high-security digital-identification documents for government agencies responsible for issuing drivers' licenses, social services cards and law enforcement credentials.
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this document and those made from time to time by the Company through its senior management are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements concerning future plans or results are necessarily only estimates and actual results could differ materially from expectations. Certain factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, among other things, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, the size and timing of award and performance on contracts, dependence on large contracts and a limited number of customers, lengthy sales and implementation cycles, changes in management estimates incident to accounting for contracts, availability and cost of key components, market acceptance of new or enhanced products and services, proprietary technology and changing competitive conditions, system performance, management of growth, dependence on key personnel, ability to obtain project financing, general economic and political conditions and other factors affecting spending by customers and other risks, uncertainties and factors including those described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including without limitation, the company's Form 10K for the year ending December 31, 2000 and its quarterly reports on Form 10Q.
2001
Contact:
Porter, LeVay & Rose, Inc.
Linda Decker / Sarah Torres
212/564-4700
or
Viisage Technology
Tom Colatosti, 978/952-2211
or
Gray & Rice
Michelle Amoroso, 617/367-0100, X110 |
